Device for singeing cloth



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet '1.

R M HUNTER DEVICE FOR SINGEING ULOTH.

Patented Nov. 21,1893.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. R. M. HUNTER.

DEVICE FOR SINGEING GLOTH..

No. 508,944. Patented Nov. 21,1893.-

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JP fi FIG UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVICE FOR SINGEING CLOTH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 508,944, dated November 21, 1893.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, of the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Devices for Singeing Cloth, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to looms for weaving textile fabric, and more particularly to the application of electricity thereto for the purpose of removing the objectionable projecting fibers or pile surface; and consists of certain improvements which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

' In the manufacture of fabrics, such as ingrain carpets, the fabric as it leaves the loom,

' is formed with a surface more or less rough due to the mass of small projecting fibers which is the natural result of the weavingin the loom. 1

Heretofore it has been customary to subject the completed fabric after having been taken from the loom to a cutting or trimming machine having rapidly revolving knives which pass over the surface of the carpet or fabric and trim off all projecting fibers, leaving a clear and highly finished surface. In fabrics of a width of about-one yard this can be ac-' complished with a fair degree of economy, but in the case of carpets or other fabrics having great width, such asingrain rugs, it has been impracticable to subject them to treatment in mechanical cutting or trimming machines. No cutting or trimming machines have ever been made of sufficient size to take in a carpet of g eater width than one yard, and if it were possible to make practical machines of sufficient size to take in'the largest ingrain carpet rugs, it would not be economical to handle the carpets ofsuch width in such a machine.

- The object of my invention is to perform the trimming upon the loom during the process of manufacture of the carpet; and secondly,it is my object to utilize the heating 7 effect of the electric current for singeing or burning off the extending fibers without injuring the body of the fabric.

My invention renders the trimming of'wide carpets an easy matter, and one which is attended with great economy, for the operation Application filed July 16, 1890. Serial No. 358.882- (No model.)

of the mechanism is automatic, and the funcductor, preferably'drawn very tight, is caused,

to be moved back and forth in front of the surface of the carpet and very close to its face. During such movement of the electric conductor a current .of electricity is caused to pass through it, raising it to incandescence,

and thereby burning or singeing all the projecting fibers which may be found upon the face of the carpet. to be reciprocated constantly, and the current to flow through the said conducting wire at specified intervals, or aftera given length .of the carpet has been woven, such length being slightly less than the distance traveled by the electric conductor. I combine the switch mechanism for throwing the current on an d I prefer to cause the wire off with the loom proper, and the mechanismfor operating the conductor, so that the var" rious parts in the 100m work synchronously, and every portion of the carpet'is treated properly to the singeing action of the electric conductor. If the conductor was constantly y maintained at a high temperature there would be danger of burning the fabric and of the conductor becoming incapacitated for use ow-' ing to the constant sagging. I therefore prefer to pass the current intermittently through the conductor, which may, ifdesired, be con- 'tinuall y reciprocated over the face of the carpet. The current which is supplied to the conducting wire is preferably of the alternating system, and may be of very low. potential and large volume,and the source of electric energy may be a dynamo electricmachine, whose circuit is in connection with the fine wire of the induction coil or secondary generator, whose coarse wire is in circuit with the singeing conductor.

Where a large number of looms are to be employed it would be objectionable to allow the current to pass promiscuously'through the various singeing conductors of the several looms, because if said conductors were arranged in series the resistance would be too great for good effect, and all the looms would have to be in operation at one time, and if the conductors were arranged in parallel then too small an amount of current would pass through any conductor to give good practical effects with a given sized dynamo or primary generator having a capacity adapted to one machine. I therefore arrange the circuits of the several looms'with the primary generator in such a manner that the current is thrown successively into the circuits of the several looms, and by this means I am enabled with a generator having a capacity for one singeing circuit to supply a current for the practical operation of a very large number of looms.

Another portion of my machine is to provide an automatic cut out whereby when the 100m is stopped the electric current passing over the singeing wire is stopped by a rupture of the conductingcircuit.

My invention comprehends many improvements, all of which are fully specified in the specification hereinafter, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a sectional elevation of a loom embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of a portion of the loom. Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the circuits between the primary source of power and thesingeing conductor. Fig. 4 is a vertical'section of the upper right hand portion of Fig. 1 enlarged. Fig. 5 is a still further enlarged portion of the sustaining arm for the singeing conductor. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the tension device for takingup :the slack in the singeing conductor, and Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of circuits when a number of looms are to be operated from the same source of electric power.

heddles, O is the lay, and E is the fabric which has been woven. This fabric is passed over and down in front of a beam D, having a flat face, and of greater width than the Width of the carpet being woven. After the carpet has left the beam D it passes back of the guide roller 6, and is wound into the roll E. The kind of loom is immaterial to my invention, and in place of heddles a Jacquard mechanism may be employed as in the case of ingrain carpet looms. Upon each side of the loom is a vertical guide d, upon which a frame N is reciprocated vertically by means of levers M, which'arepulled in one direction by springs m,.and, moved in the other direction .by a cam M,.made preferably heart shaped, but which may beef any other suitable construction if so desired.

Fis the main shaft of the loom and operates the lay O by means of suitable cranks, asiswell known. The cam-M is caused to rotate with a speed commensurate with the rotation ofthe power shaft F by means of gearing L.

I is a circuit breaker and maker, and is retated by means of a worm wheel H, and worm G upon the power shaft F.

K is a governor which is rotated by means of gearing J J connecting with the power shaft of the loom, the said governor operating a switch 70.

P is the singeing wire, which is stretched upon the frame N close to but not touching the face of the fabric E.

Referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that this wire P includes a circuit T, and the circuit maker and breaker I, the coarse wire of the induction coil R and the circuit interrupter or hand switch 15.

Q isthe generator of electricity, and is in circuit with the fine wire of the induction coil R by means of conductors S, which include the resistance changer or circuit controller s. The generator Q may be keptconstantly in motion, and whether "the incandescence conductor P becomes heated or not depends upon the hand switch t, the circuit maker and breaker I and switch 70. If the machine is at rest and the circuit maker and breaker I is in such position as to close the circuit T, then the switch It will be'automatically opened, and no current would flow through the incandescence conductor. If on the other hand the loom was in motion, and it was desired to stop the flow of electricity through the incandescence conductor the switch If may be opened.

The coarse wire of the induction coil R is I connected in the circuit T, while the finewire of said induction coil is connected by the circuit S with the primary generator Q preferably for generating alternating current.

The generator Q may be constantly operated irrespective of whether the circuit T P is open or closed and the high potential currents from the generator Q are converted A is the frame of the machine, B are the into low potential currents, and transmitted over the circuit T and singeing conductor P. During the operation of the loo-m every time a given length of carpet is woven, and is arranged upon the face of' the beam D, the current inthe circuit T is thrown onto the wire P during the time said wire makes one movement over the face of the fabric, and then the current is cut off again until a new length of the fabric is woven. It is evident that the current may pass over the singeing wire during more than one movement of the said singeing wire over the face of the fabric if desired.

The singeing wire P is clamped atone end in a bracket 19, and is connected at the other nut P The bracketsp are insulated from the frame M, and are clamped thereto by. means of bolts 19', passing through slotted sary to provide some means for preventing the singeing wire from sagging when it is heated. To accomplish this I provide the support '11, which is bolted to the frame N at the middle, and extends obliquely downwardly toward the carpet, and carries at its lower end the singeing wire P,as is clearly shown in Fig. 5. If desired this arm N may rest against the face of the carpet, or said 'arm may be cut ofi, so as to leave a small air space between it and thecarpet, as is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5, and as is clearly shown in Fig. 4. It is quite evident that any number of these supports may be employed across the width of the loom,butl have only shown one such support in the drawings, as illustrating the principles of my improvement. By using a sufficient number of these supports at the singeing wire may be of any length desired, and can readily be used in large looms, 0r those having a capacity for weaving carpet of ten to one hundred feet in width.

The brackets 19 and arm n are insulated from the frame N so as not to form short circuits for the current around the singeing wire P, with which they are in mechanical contact.

It is quite evident that the details'for supporting the singeing wire may be greatly modified without in the least departing from the spirit of my invention. It is also evident that my improved mechanism may be used upon machines not especially adapted to weave carpet, but where the carpet is caused to travel over a beam, such as D, for the sole purpose of being treated to the electric singeing operation.

While I have spoken of carpets as the fabric for which my invention is especially intended,

- it is to be understood that I do not confine myself to a loom or machine'for weaving or treating any special kindof fabric.

Referring to Fig. 7, I have a'series of singeing wires P corresponding to difierent looms, which have their circuits T each provided with a switch If. The circuits T leading from one end of .the singeing wire pass to brushes,

- resting-against a rotating circuit maker and breaker U, which may be rotated by the dynamo electric machine, or any suitable convenient means. The switch is connected with the other ends of the singeing wires P through the coarse wire of the induction coil R, the

I fine wire of which is in the circuit S, having the primary generator Q. It will now be observed that as the switch U is rotated it throws all the current at any one moment into one of the singeing wires P, and one alone, the remaining ones being out of circuit for that interval. If this switch U should be revolved very rapidly, short impulses of current will be thrown successively over-the various singeing wires, and would be thrown in such rapid succession as to maintain them in a heated condition during the time they are kept closed by the circuit maker and breaker switch I.

While I have shown induction coils as the direct means of supplying the singeing wire circuit with the proper electric current it is to be understood that I do not confine myself thereto as the current may be supplied directly from a dynamo electric machine as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7.

While I prefer the general constructions herein set out I do not limit myself to thedetails thereof as they may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination in a loom, of a guide over which a fabric is moved, devices forweaving the fabric located on one side ofthe' guide, a fabric receiving cylinder or drum on the other side of the guide, a reciprocating singeing wire movable in a plane and direction parallel to the moving fabric passing about the guide, and a source of electric energy for raising the singeing wire to incandescence. v

1 2. The combination of a guide over which a fabric is moved, with a movable singeing wire, asource of electrical energy for raising the singeing wire to incandescence, power mechanism for reciprocating the movable singeing wire back and forth over the surface of the fabric, and a circuit controlling device for intermittently closing the circuit to cause the current to pass through the singeing wire at intervals.

3. The combination of guides over which the fabric is passed, a reciprocating frame adapted to reciprocate in a direction corresponding to the travel of the fabric, common power devices for feeding the fabric and reciprocating the reciprocating frame,-a singeing wire carried by the reciprocating frame parallel to the fabric and stretched transversely to the direction of its movement, one' or more supports carried by the reciprocating frame between the ends of the singeing wire and to which the said wire is connectedto support it against sagging, electrical circuits for supplying currents to the singeing wire, and a source of electrical energy connecting with the electrical circuits.

4E. The combination of a guide over which fabric is stretched, a reciprocating frame, a singeing wire carried by said frame one or more supports carried by the frame between the ends of the singeing wire for supporting it against sagging, a source of electrical energy, a circuit for supplying current from said source of electrical energy to the singeing wire, power mechanism for reciprocating the frame and the singeing wire over the surface of the fabric, and a circuit controller operated by said power mechanism for causing the current to flow through the singeing wire at stated intervals.

5. The combination of a guide over which fabric is stretched, a reciprocating frame, a singeing wire carried by said frame, one or more supports carried by the frame between the ends of the singeing wire for supporting it against sagging, a source of electrical energy, a circuit for supplying current from said source of electrical energy to the singeing wire, power mechanism for reciprocating the frame and the singeing wire over the surface of the fabric, a circuit controller operated by said power mechanism for causing the current to flow through the singeing wire at stated intervals, and a cutout or circuit interrupting device also actuated by the power mechanism to interrupt the current through the singeing wire in case the operation of the power mechanism should become stopped.

6. The combination of aloom havinga beam or guide over which the fabric is passed, a reciprocatingframe actuated by the power mechanism of the loom, a singeing wire carried by the reciprocating frame and moved in substantially uniform and close proximity to and in the direction of travel of the fabric as it passes over the beam or guide immediately after being woven, a source of electrical energy, and a circuit controlling device for controlling the current flowing through the singeing wire whereby the singeing wire may be raised to incandescence at intervals.

7. The combination of a loom having a beam or guide over which the fabric is passed,a reciprocating frame actuated by the power mechanism of the loom, a singeing wire car; riedby the reciprocating frame and moved in substantially uniform and close proximity to and in the direction of travel of the fabric as it passes over the beam or guide immediately after being woven, a source of electri cal energy, and a constantly moving circuit controlling device operated by the power mechanism of the loom for controlling the current flowing through the singeing wire whereby the singeing Wire may be raised to incandescence at intervals.

8. The combination of a loom havingabeam or guide over which the fabric is passed, a reciprocating frame actuated by the power mechanism of the loom, a singeing wire carried by the reciprocating frame and moved in close proximity to the fabric as it passes over the beam or guide, a source of electrical energy, a circuit controlling device operated by the power mechanism of the loom for controlling the current flowing through the singeing wire whereby the singeing wire may be raised to incandescence at intervals, and an automatic circuit breaking apparatus for interrupting the flowvof the current through the singeing wire in case the loom should stop its operation.

9. The combination of a loom having a beam or guide over which the fabric is passed, a reciprocating frame actuated by the power mechanism of the loom, a singeing wire carried by the reciprocating frame and moved in close proximity to the fabric as it passes over the beamor guide, a source of electrical energy, a circuit controlling device for controlling the current flowing through the singeing wire whereby the singeing wire maybe raised to incandescence at intervals, and an automatic circuit breaking apparatus for interrupting the flow of the current through the singeing wire in case the loom should stop its operation. 1

10. The combination of a loom for weaving a fabric provided with guiding surfaces over which the fabric is moved, a reciprocating frame carried by the frame of the loom and movable in a direction corresponding to the direction of the movement of the fabric, a singeing wire connected to said reciprocating frame, tightening devices for stretching the singeing wire to eliminate all slack due to elongation, and power devices operated by the power devices of the loom for reciprocating the said reciprocating frame commensurate with the speed of operation of the loom.

11. The combination of aguide over which a fabric is moved, a reciprocating frame movable over and parallel with the surface of the fabric, a singeing wire carried by said frame and moved over the face of the fabric, supports for the singeing wire carried by the frame at the ends and intermediate portions of the said singeing wire, and a tension device to take up all slack in the singeing wire and maintain it straight.

12. The combination of a guide overwhich a fabric is moved,a reciprocating frame movable over and parallel with the surface of the fabric, a singeing wire carried by said frame and moved parallel to the face of the fabric, supports for the singeing wire carried by the frame at the ends and intermediate portions of the said singeing wire, a tension device to take up all slack in the singeing wire and maintain .it straight, a source of electrical energy for supplying electric current to the said singeing wire, and a current controlling device for controlling the current flowing through the said singeing Wire.

13. The combination of a guide over which a fabric is moved, a movable frame, a singeing wire carried by the movable frame and moved in a direction corresponding to .the travel of and over and parallel to the surface of the fabric while being guided by the guides therefor, a source of electrical energy to energize the singeing wire, and means to adjust the singeing wire upon the movable frame to and from the fabric.

14. The combination of a guide over which the electric current to fiow through the singeing wire at statedintervals.

15. The combination of a guide over which a fabric is moved, a movable frame, a singeing wire carried by the movable frame and moved over the surface of the fabric while being guided by the guides therefor, a source of electrical energy to energize the singeing wire, means to adjust the singeing wire upon the movable frame to and from the fabric,

power mechanism for reciprocating the movable frame, a circuit controlling device actuated by the power mechanism to cause the electric current to flow through the singeing wire at stated intervals, and an automatic cut. out mechanism for cutting the singeing wire out of circuit with the source of electrical energy upon an interruption of the operation of the power mechanism.

16. The combination of a guide over which the fabric is stretched, a singeingwire movable over the surface of the fabric, power mechanism to move the singeing wire, an induction coil having its coarse wire coupled in circuit with the singeing wire, and an alternating current or primary generator having its poles coupled with the fine wire of the induction coil.

17.- The combination of a guide over which the fabric is stretched, a singeing wire movable over the surface of the .fabric, power mechanism to move the singeing wire, an induction coil having its coarse wire coupled in circuit with the singeing wire, an alternating current or primary generator having its poles coupled with the fine wire of the induction coil, and a circuit closing device for controlling the singeing wire circuit independently of the circuit of the alternating current or primary generator.

18. The combination of a guide overwhich the fabric is stretched, a singeing wire movable over the surface of the fabric, power mechanism to move the singeing wire, an induction coil having its coarse wire coupled in circuit with the singeing wire, an alternating current or primary generator having its poles coupled with the fine wire'of the induction coil, a circuit closing device for controlling the singeing wire circuit independently of the circuit of the alternating current or primary generator, and means to control the current in the fine wire of the induction coil.

19. The combination of a guide over which thefabric is stretched, a singeingwire or conductor held in close relation with respect to with the fine Wire of the induction coil, andmeans to interrupt the current flowing through the singeing wire at intervals.

21. The combination of a guide overwhich the fabric is stretched, a singeing wire or conductor held in close relation with respect to the surface of the fabric, an induction coil having its coarse wire connected in circuit with the singeing wire, a primary generating apparatus of alternating currents coupled with the fine wire coil of the induction coil, means tointerrupt thecurrent flowing through the singeing wire at intervals, and means to control the current flowing. through the fine wire of the induction coil independently of the means for controlling'the current flowing in the singeing wire circuit.

22. The combination in a-loom of a fixed guide over which the fabric is moved, a movable frame moving in guides and carrying a transverse conductor whereby vthe conductor is arranged to extend across andclose to the face of the fabric, and remain at all times at a uniform distance from it, 'a source of electrical energy for raising the conductor to incandescence, and a switch device for controlling the current flowing through said conductor.

23. The combination of a series'of guides for. fabrics, a series of singein g Wires therefor, a source of electrical energy, common to all of said singeing wires, and-circuit controlling devices for successively causing the'energizing current to flowflover the respectivesingeing wires.

24. The combination of a series of guides for fabrics, a series of singeing wires therefor,

a source of electrical energy common to all of said singeing wires, circuit controlling de- Vicesfor successively causing the energizing current to flow over the respective singeing Wires, and interruptingmechanism for interrupting the circuit through any singeing wire independently of the others.

' 25. The combination of aseriesofguides for fabrics,a series of singeing Wires therefor, a source of electrical energy common to all of said singeing wires, circuit controlling devices for successively causing theenergizing vcurrent to flow over the respective wires, in-

terrupting mechanism for interrupting the circuit through any singeingwire independently of the others, and automatic circuit closing devices for closing the circuit through the separate singcing wires independently of each.

other.

26. The combination of a series of guide devices for fabrics, a series of singeing wires therefor, a source of electrical energy common to all of said singeing wires, separate circuits from the respective singeing wires to the source of electrical energy, and switch mech- IO anism for throwing the current successively in the circuit of the several'singeing wires whereby a small generator of electrical energy may be utilized for energizing a large number of singeing Wires.

In testimony of which invention I have :5

hereunto set my hand.

R. M. HUNTER.

Witnesses;

ERNEST HOWARD HUNTER, S. T. YERKES. 

